A Thousand Years
by PancakesAndSunshine
Summary: One-shot songfic. **WARNING: SPOILER ALERT FOR SEASON SIX** Emily decides to confront Hotch for the first time after her 'death'. Of course, he knew she was alive, right? But... There's a catch. He didn't. R&R please! T for language...


**Author's Note: Hey guys! I really love this song, but not because of Twilight. (I'm a Potter Head all the way!) **WARNING: THIS HAS SPOILERS FROM SEASON SIX****

**Anyway, this is set after Emily comes back from Europe and she's going to confront Hotch one-on-one. This is **_**somewhat **_**pre-established, but not really. Like, they know they have a 'thing' together, but they haven't established it between them, if that made any sense. He also didn't know that she didn't die. And yes, I register the fact that it will be a little OOC. Just read it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**

_**Heart beats fast**_

_**Colors and promises**_

_**How to be brave**_

_**How can I love?**_

_**When I'm afraid**_

_**To fall**_

Emily took a deep breath, her heart pounding. She ran her fingers through the ebony tresses that fell straight just under her shoulders. Her throat began to close up, and she started to hyperventilate.

_No, Emily. Stop being such a coward and just do it already, damn it_, she scolded herself. She tugged at the hem of her shirt and raised her fist to knock on the glossy wooden door. Somehow, she couldn't bring herself to do it.

She noticed his curtain was parted just slightly, enough for her to get a quick peek. There he was, sitting at the kitchen table, his cheek resting on his hand. A lone cup of still-steaming coffee sat in front of him. His dark stubble contrasted against the pale skin it grew on. Tears were welling up in her eyes at the mere sight of his unwell.

_**But watching you stand alone**_

_**All of my doubt**_

_**Suddenly goes away somehow**_

His restless and sullen mien gave him an almost piteous look about him. A knot formed in her stomach. Was he going to accept this spontaneous confession of love? She didn't know. Hell, she didn't know if he even noticed her. All she knew was that she unconditionally loved him. Standing in front of his door, she was sure as hell that wasn't about to change.

_**One step closer**_

She finally mustered all her willpower and knocked gently on his door, ducking out of view from the window. She heard his footsteps nearing the door, and he opened it.

"Emily?" he asked in disbelief. His hollowed eye sockets almost seemed to fill in at the sight of his long-lost colleague.

"Aaron," she sighed, smiling. Out of the blue, he pulled her into a tight hug. It fit just right; Emily's head was buried into his shoulders, and his chin rested on the crook of her neck. His hands were wandering aimlessly around her lower back, as if he were trying to touch every part of her, just to make sure she was really there.

"Emily, I can't believe you're here," he sighed, running his hands through his already disheveled hair.

"I-Aaron…" she trailed, supplementing the silence with another crushing hug.

_**I have died **_

_**Every day**_

_**Waiting for you**_

"I thought you were dead…" he muttered quietly, pulling her into his apartment. He fought an internal battle with his tears as they threatened to unleash holy heck on his face.

"I… Well, I'm here now," she offered, not able to process anything. She didn't think it was going to go this well.

"Emily… I thought I was going to die without you," he murmured, pulling her into another hug. Her chest tightened, and she thought she was going to pass out.

"Every God-damned day, Emily, I-I thought I was a goner," he trembled, a lone tear finding its way down his face.

"Aaron, please…" she murmured. She curled herself into his arms, bearing a child-like statute.

_**Darlin' don't be afraid**_

_**I have loved you for a**_

_**Thousand years**_

_**And I will love you for a thousand more**_

"I need to tell you something, and I need to tell you now," Hotch said firmly, holding her in front of him. He fixed his eyes onto hers, locking their sight. She held his gaze just as firmly.

"I love you," he said, his voice hard.

"Aaron… I…" she couldn't find the words to fill the empty silence.

"Just… Please, Emily, just please say you love me," he pleaded, unlikely to his nature.

"I-Aaron, I do," she forced out.

"Thank you, Emily. I will love you no matter what. We could be…" he paused, searching for the right words, then regained his composure, "We could be miles apart, or oceans away. We could be on different planets or even in entirely different universes and I would still love you. Nothing… and I mean _no damn thing_ is going to stop that." He embraced her, pressing his lips to her, displaying his affection. She gripped his shirt so tightly, it nearly ripped. His kiss was so full of passion she was lifted off her feet. He placed his hands under her thighs, lifting her into his arms like a young child, managing to maintain the kiss.

As they pulled away, he tucked yet another loose strand of hair behind her ear.

_**Time stands still**_

_**Beauty in all she is**_

_**I will be brave**_

_**I will not let anything**_

_**Take away**_

_**What's standing in front of me**_

_**Every breath,**_

_**Every hour has come to this**_

In that moment, she cried as if the entire world, and all of its beauty, had come to an end. She sobbed as if she were a mere child and lost in a new city; as if someone had taken a bullet and pierced it through her heart.

But it wasn't a painful cry. It was a cry signifying her deep love, a cry signifying that yes, she did too love Aaron Hotchner.

_**One step closer…**_

_**I have died every day**_

_**Waiting for you**_

_**Darlin' don't be afraid**_

_**I have loved you for a thousand years**_

_**And I'll love you for a thousand more**_

"Emily, shh… Don't cry," he consoled her. She curled herself up against his rock-solid chest. He wrapped his arms around her; one was around her shoulders and another was draped over her waist. She felt his heard beating against her back, which comforted her.

"Aaron… I'm so sorry," she said, more tears acting like a tsunami and nearly flooding her face.

"Shh… Don't, Emily. Don't apologize," he said comfortingly. He pressed one last kiss to her neck.

Only, this kiss wasn't out of romance or lust, (which, in fact, he had an unbelievably tremendous amount of).

This was a chaste, yet… Comforting kiss. It wasn't to let her know he loved her. It wasn't to 'mark' her; to let everyone know she was his.

It was to put her in a state of ease; to let her know that, no, she wasn't alone. It was to let her know that yes, everything was going to be okay. As downright awful and impossible as things seemed, they were going to be alright.

**The End**

**Author's Note: I hope you guys liked it! I used the song 'A Thousand Years' by Christina Perry, if anybody's interested. Please review! **


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